theESP

TheESP – Ep. #132 – Science in trouble, educating politicians & finding pseudoscience

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Segments:
Intro; Greetings; This Week in Skepticism; News; Pontus Pokes the Pope: Really Right; Quote; Outro; Out-takes

Show Notes:
00:00:27 Greetings

We quickly go from ear-candles to ass-candles and then the Pope doesn’t want us to be skeptical. Guess what? We still are…
On this episode you’ll hear some updates on the Hungarian government’s attack on science, how the anti-vax movement causes a lot of trouble in different countries and what we can do to counter them. We also talk about the educational projects that Spanish skeptics run, the NHS landing credit to bogus treatments, a new study showing the negative effects of taking alternative therapies, the journal Homeopathy gaining on their impact factor and the UK parliament aiming to see clearly with regards to scientific misconduct. Terminally ill Laura Brennen campaigns for vaccination that could have saved her.

Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe

00:11:40 This Week in Skepticism

Born on 26 July 1875: Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist who met and collaborated with Sigmund Freud in Vienna in (1907-13), but then developed his own theories. He also had an interest in UFOs and aliens.

00:16:59 Skeptical News

HUNGARY: The minister of Innovation and Technology doubling down on their attack on the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

AUSTRALIA: Example to all countries: Australia to issue monthly fines to parents who don’t vaccinate children

SPAIN: Science in Parliament sessions on their way in Madrid

UK: NHS lending credit to bogus treatments

EUROPE: Measles outbreak updates

INTERNATIONAL: Cancer patients using alternative therapies twice as likely to die

UK: The journal Homeopathy sees its impact factor risen by 52%

SPAIN: ‘Stop pseudoscience’ campaign kicks off on Twitter again

UKRAINE: Diphteria outbreak in Ukraine

IRELAND: Does Ireland need a dedicated body to fight pseudoscience

UK: House of commons committee on Science and Technology wants clear picture of misconducts at research insitutes

SPAIN: Call for fictional stories related to skepticism and critical thinking

00:49:30 Pontus Pokes the Pope: The pope does not like skeptics

00:53:56 Really Right: Terminally ill Laura Brennan promotes vaccine that could’ve saved her

00:57:44Quote

“Scepticism is the first step towards truth.”

/Denis Diderot, French philosopher

00:58:48 Outro

01:00:03 Out-takes